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An Irish Welcome

Céad Míle Fáilte friend and rover ... Wherever you come from and whosoever you may be.That's an Irish greeting and it means you are welcome a thousand times over.

Monday, June 7, 2010

No struggle - no deification

All who stand for good must wage a constant battle with the forces of evil. For the demons still have power in the world until Christ comes again in glory.

"Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication for all the saints - and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." ~ Ephesians 6:14-20.

This is clearly acknowledged in the prayers at the conclusion of our Orthodox baptism.

Christians fight back with God's arms, that is, His uncreated divine energy, given to us (1:19-23; 3:16-21) and actively by us. The Christian has "put on" (4:24) at baptism all the qualities listed as armor in these verses. These qualities must be exercised in the conflict of growth: